WANT (Complete ✔️)

Chapter Three

Lia

Checking the time on my cloud-shaped bedside alarm clock, the blue digits read 10:46 PM. Throwing on a thick white knitted cardigan, a blissful breath leaves me, it covers my baby yellow pajamas—three-quarter cotton pants and a fitted white ribbed cami top.

I look like a fancy hobo. Oh, yeah.

But I don't need to dress up like I'm attending New York Fashion Week, the convenience store is ten minutes away, and I'm only going to buy ice cream. Elijah, the petty rugrat, wolfed down my Ben and Jerry Cookie Dough ice cream. That's my favorite flavor.

Slipping into my white low Nikes, I grab my phone and money. Checking on my mom, I see she's already deep in sleep. Liana Berry is a nurse at Lake Bellevue Hospital. Extreme hours, late nights and gnarly human health is what she endures.

Stomping down the stairs, the sound of the television fills the night.

"Are you sneaking out?" Elijah chuckles, "Bold of you to think I'm gonna let you go out when you're looking like the long-lost twin of the Gremlins."

Offended, I smack him with a cushion.

"I'm going to the convenience store."

"Why?"

"Because I can."

"Get me ice cream." The audacity.

"No," I grumble like an angry cat, "You ate mine and I'm not your servant."

"Correction, you're my baby sister," Elijah waves a hand, "Which automatically makes you my servant. Now go, shoo, buy me ice cream."

What a privileged stinky sock.

"Ooh, I will hurt you so bad one day Elijah Berry. I'd watch out for those pretty eyebrows of yours if I were you." With a snarky threat, I run out of the house.

Threatening his eyebrows is like slashing the tires to his sky blue Jeep Wrangler. He loves that thing as much as he loves his stupidly pretty shaped thick eyebrows.

The night air is breezy, with a little humidity in the wind. Our neighborhood is illuminated with street lamps similar to the one in Narnia. Our neighborhood is safe, really safe. Nothing exciting ever happens on these streets. Not that I'm complaining. I love a peaceful atmosphere.

Walking the streets, I realize there are a lot of humans around, rightfully so considering it's a Friday night. The murmur of cars in the distance, rustle of trees, and bright lights are the only animations. Crossing the block that separates the convenience store and an apartment building, there's an alley in the middle. Really creepy at night and really dodgy in the daylight.

Miles, the young boy at the cash register, waves at me as I enter. Heading straight for the sugary delights, two tubs of ice cream and a 3 Musketeer bar are in my arms.

"Hey, Lia." Miles greets, eyes glued to this phone.

"Hi, Miles."

Miles takes note of my sugar-coated snacks.

"Movie night?"

"No, just craving sweets."

"Maybe we can catch a movie together sometime." Miles attempts at a smoldering grin but he just looks adorable.

"Miles, you're sixteen, you're like a baby brother, I'm not a cradle snatcher."

"Oh, you can snatch my cradle any time you want, Princess."

No kidding but I laugh my ass off. Grabbing my treats, I wave him goodbye and walk back home in the darkness of the night.

Miles is cute, for a baby brother. I wish I had a baby brother instead of an ugly rugrat runner-back. Age doesn't stop Miles from flirting with women. The last time, Nolee and Blair came with me, he couldn't stop grinning and throwing cheesy pickup lines into the air. But he's a good kid with a kind heart. Miles started a fight at school—because a bully was picking on a girl, as he told me—hence as a punishment, his father made him get a part-time job. Bless him.